Neighbors
by Siancore
Summary: AU Richonne. No zombies. From an Anon request on Tumblr: Rick and Michonne are neighbors who don't like one another at first.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Written for an Anon prompt on Tumblr re Rick and Michonne being neighbours who don't get on. AU, no zombies. Was going to be a one-shot but I'll write it in two parts. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead. M for language.

xXxXx

The eye rolling was more out of annoyance for herself than at the howling of the neighbor's dog next door as Michonne placed her coffee mug down on her desk. The dark liquid was now cold as the time read twelve forty-seven, antemeridian. She had a class in the morning and a five thousand word paper that was due that following afternoon. She was sleep deprived and stressed and it did not help that she had just moved into her apartment with her young son André and was sure that the landlord said no pets allowed. Now, as she tried to link her thesis statement to her next paragraph, Michonne felt irritated.

Without fully functioning thought processes due to lack of sleep and coffee overdose, Michonne stood up, stretched out her cramps and walked towards her door. She stepped out into the hallway and proceeded next door to number twenty-five.

 _Bang, bang, bang._

She waited; the dog started to growl and no one came to answer the door. Frustrated, Michonne knocked thrice again before cursing and stomping back to her apartment. She grabbed a scrap of paper from her desk and scribbled a quick message: _Hey asshole! Would you mind making sure your dog shuts the hell up? Some of us actually need to sleep in this building. Regards, No. 23._

Content with her note, Michonne walked back to the corridor with scotch tape and the piece of paper in hand; she then stuck the message to the door of the apartment next to hers, right under the brass two and five. Somewhat pleased with her actions, Michonne went back to her home, closed her laptop and tried to get to sleep.

xXxXx

The night shifts were kicking Rick's ass, but it was all part of his plan for the future. He needed as many nightshifts as he could get because extra shifts meant extra money. Being a single father meant Rick needed the extra cash that came with working overtime as a police officer. He hated to have to leave his fourteen year old son Carl home alone, but times were tough and he needed to work if he was ever going to have enough savings to get a home loan and buy a place for him and his son.

Carl understood this and was pleased when his father got a guard dog to stay with him overnight when he could not get one of the neighbors to look in on him. Even when the dog proved to be difficult, Carl just locked him in the bathroom and put on his headphones; sleep found him easy.

Now, as Rick trudged up the stairs and over to his front door, he noticed a piece of yellow paper stuck to it. He took the message down and read it; Rick sighed and then glanced towards his neighbor's door.

"Jerk off," he said under his breath before shoving the crumpled paper into his pocket and placing his key in the lock.

…..

Carl was almost ready for school when Rick came in; father and son greeted one another amicably.

"Hey, Dad. How was your night?" asked the teen.

Rick took a seat at the small kitchen table.

"Fine, Son. Nothin' too exciting. How was your night?" he asked, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

"Boring really. I was online for a bit and finished up my homework," he said.

"Did you eat?" asked Rick.

"Yeah, but please don't get that brand of TV dinner again. It tasted like rubber," said Carl with a smile.

"Noted," laughed Rick. "How was Bucky? Did he give you any trouble?"

Carl sighed.

"He cried and barked a bit after the sun went down, so I locked him in the bathroom," said Carl. "He wouldn't shut up."

"Did you try to feed him?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, but he just pooped on the bathroom floor and then howled some more," Carl said with a shrug.

"Okay, it's just that the neighbors at twenty-three left a note complaining about the noise," Rick explained.

"Screw them!" said Carl.

"Hey," warned Rick.

"Sorry, Dad," the boy offered.

"Let's just hope he behaves himself tonight. If anyone comes over here knocking, don't answer the door, got it?" said Rick.

Carl nodded his head.

"Got it," he replied.

"We don't know what kind of crazy people they might be," Rick added.

"Can I see the note?" asked Carl.

Rick contemplated saying no, before he reached into his pocket and handed it over. Carl studied it and scrunched up his nose.

"Should we write a note back to them?" asked the boy.

Rick sighed.

"No, Son. Let's not make it worse than it already is," he offered and Carl agreed.

…..

Rick went to his bedroom to get some rest and Carl scooped up his backpack as he got ready to head off to school. He stopped in the hallway and looked at number twenty-three. Before he could think things through, Carl grabbed one of his school books, opened to a clean page and began to write something. He tore the note from his book and then crept over to their neighbor's door and slid the note under it. Satisfied, he made his way to the elevator and sighed when he noticed it was not working again.

xXxXx

It was almost eight-thirty, postmeridian, by the time Michonne had finished at the library; she had left her apartment early that morning and still felt as if she were behind in her work. Tiredly, she packed her bag with textbooks and headed down to where she had parked; as she approached her car, she noticed that there was a ticket stuck to her windshield.

"Shit," she said under her breath as she took the piece of paper and placed it inside of her bag.

She then drove to her sister's place to pick up her son; feeling overwhelmed and tired, she tried not to let tears of frustration escape her eyes.

…..

"Maybe you should make a complaint," said Shiri, Michonne's little sister. "They said that you couldn't have any pets, so why is the douche next door allowed to?"

"I know, I know," replied Michonne. "I wouldn't even care if the mutt just stayed quiet."

"You look tired," the younger woman stated.

"I am tired," Michonne said as she grabbed André's small backpack. "I'm so over everything."

Shiri nodded knowingly.

"Thanks again for today," Michonne said.

"It's fine, Mich. You don't have to thank me every single time. He's my nephew and I love having him around, right buddy?" Shiri said to André.

He nodded his head and offered his aunt a hug; Michonne then hugged her sister and bid her goodnight as she and her son set off home.

…..

The small boy rushed through the door as soon as his mother had switched on the lights; he ran into his bedroom to put away his backpack. Michonne followed him inside and let her own bag fall to the floor. She was exhausted and annoyed. The ticket she had received for parking too long was one hundred and seventy five dollars and forty-three cents. It was an added expense that she did not need and could not afford.

Attending law school was a dream of hers and she had started a number of years ago. When André came along and her relationship with his father fell apart, she took time off from school and focussed on being a mother. Now that her son was older and she was in a better frame of mind, Michonne returned to her study, but it was difficult.

She sighed when she saw the piece of paper on the floor, thinking it was one of her study notes. Michonne picked it up and immediately felt her stomach drop; her neighbor had written a note in response to hers. It read: _Hey there's no need to be such a dick and call people assholes. Have fun being a dick. From No. 25._

Michonne scrunched up the note and tossed it into her fruit bowl before taking a seat at the table. She grabbed her notepad and quickly wrote a reply:

 _Dear asshole at No. 25,_

 _The only dick around here is you! Please make sure your dog doesn't keep the rest of us awake tonight. As you can tell I am a letter writer and I will make a formal complaint about you, the Master of assholes, and your asshole dog._

 _Regards,_

 _No. 23._

She stomped out of her apartment and taped the note to the door of number twenty-five. Hoping that it would shut up the dog and the owner, Michonne returned to her home and began to prepare dinner for André. She shook her head when she heard the neighbor's dog whimpering again.

…..

Rick and his partner, as well as best friend, Shane Walsh made their way up the stairs and onto Rick's floor. It was early in the morning, just at daybreak, when the pair had finished their shift. Shane needed to borrow an extra sleeping bag from his friend so the two of them were on their way to Rick's to retrieve it. Shane noticed the paper first.

"What the fuck is this?" he asked, ripping it from the door.

He looked in the direction of twenty-three.

"Whats goin' on with you and your neighbor?" asked Shane.

"Let me see," said Rick as he read the note. "Damn it! Carl must've written back to them."

"Wrote back to who? What's goin' on?" he asked.

Rick sighed.

"Bucky's been noisy and the neighbors left a note complainin' about it last night. I told Carl not to reply, but it seems like he did. Shit. I don't want trouble. I don't even know who lives there," said Rick.

"Well," replied Shane as he turned and walked over to Michonne's front door. "Since I ain't in the mood for my best buddy to be called an asshole, I think it's 'bout time we found out."

 _Bang, bang, bang_

"Atlanta, PD. Open up!"

xXxXx

A/N: More to come!

Shane's a hot-head and overreacting lol

In the next instalment, Rick and Michonne finally get to come face-to-face.


	2. Chapter 2

Michonne's eyes fluttered open as she blinked quickly several times; she was beyond tired, having been kept awake by the neighbor's dog and its incessant howling the previous night. Now there was a loud banging at her front door and it sounded like it was the police. Suddenly, a sense of fear set in and she worried what would warrant a visit from the Atlanta Police Department at this early hour of the morning. Her heart felt heavy and her stomach sank as she climbed out of bed and rushed to answer the door.

"Shane," Rick said in a harsh whisper. "What're you doin'?"

His friend just looked at him and knocked three more times.

 _Bang, bang, bang_

"I'm coming!" called Michonne from the other side of the door.

She swung it open and saw the officer standing there in his uniform. Shane was lost for words when he saw the attractive woman looking at him expectantly. She wore a tank top and short shorts; her dreadlocked hair was pulled to the side in a braid. She looked tired, but beautiful.

"Can I help you?" she asked as she folded her arms, totally unimpressed.

She looked down and saw the piece of paper in the officer's hand.

 _Great,_ she thought. _The dickhead next door called the cops on me._

Shane quickly came to his senses when she spoke; Rick stood off to the side mortified, but not surprised that his partner would use his authority as a police officer in such a rude manner.

"Mornin', ma'am. Sorry to bother you at this hour, but ah, I was wonderin' if you received any of these types of notes left on your door?" he asked as he held up the piece of paper.

Rick wondered what he was doing, but figured the woman who answered the door must have been a looker, because Shane would not change his tune so quickly otherwise; Rick approached them.

"So this is where our tax dollars go? Sending the cops around at the crack of dawn over some notes left on a door?" she asked incredulously and Rick could not help but chuckle.

"No ma'am, just wanted to know if you received anything like this…"

"Officer… _Walsh_ , is it?" she asked, reading his name tag.

"Yes, ma'am," he answered with a cocky smile.

"Officer Walsh, if you had a close look at the note, you'd see it's signed off from the occupant of number 23. You're standing at number 23 right now; so if you have something to say, a reprimand or whatever, you best get to your point," said Michonne.

 _Shit_ , thought Rick. _She's sassy; I think I like it._

In that moment, Rick stepped forward and excused himself.

"Pardon me, ma'am. I live at number 25 and I think there's been some kind of misunderstanding here…" said Rick.

Before he could finish, Michonne spoke up.

"You can't arrest me for leaving a note on your door. I do know my rights," she offered defensively.

"What? No one's here to arrest you," said Shane.

"Then why are you here?" asked Michonne, growing irritated.

Rick tapped Shane on the shoulder.

"Give us a minute, man," he asked.

Shane looked at Michonne and then at Rick; he handed the note to Rick, nodded and left the pair standing there. Michonne noticed the officer, her neighbor, had the bluest eyes she had ever seen. She found it difficult to hold his gaze; unbeknownst to her, Rick was also having a hard time staring into her deep, dark brown eyes.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry for my partner stormin' over here. He can be a little… _hot headed_. Pay him no mind," Rick said earnestly.

Michonne remained silent; she wondered about the man with the kind face standing before her. She remembered what she was going to say after a short moment being lost in his eyes. However, before she could say anything, the man in front of her offered his hand.

"I'm Rick," he said softly. "I'm sorry about all o' this."

"Michonne," she replied, taking his hand and shaking it gently.

"My kid wrote that note back to you when I told him not to. I'm sorry about our dog, too; he ain't used to bein' locked up inside all day," Rick said with a small chuckle before he finally let her hand go. "He's been restless."

"Thanks," said Michonne, slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry for being a nightmare neighbor and leaving the note for you there in the first place; the things we do when we're running on three hours sleep."

She laughed coyly and then leaned against the doorframe.

"Right," grinned Rick. "I'm sorry about that too. Is there some way I can make it up to you? Could we maybe grab a coffee some time? My treat?"

Michonne felt her face grow warm; was he just being nice, or was he asking her out. Either way, her face was flushed warm there was a fluttering in her stomach. She was really stumped and taken by surprise by the whole thing.

"You don't have to," she replied.

"No, I want to. I should've come and seen you when I found out that Bucky was giving you trouble in the first place," said Rick.

"Bucky?" asked Michonne with a slight grin.

"Oh, Bucky's our – how did you phrase it?" he asked as he looked at the crumpled note. "Right, he's our 'asshole' dog."

Michonne felt her face grow warm again and Rick smiled widely at her, taking no real offence to her note.

"Sorry," she said shyly, shaking her head and looking to the floor.

"It's fine," said Rick before leaning in to whisper: "He actually is an asshole."

This caused Michonne to laugh and Rick thought it was the most wonderful sound he had heard in ages.

"Okay," she managed.

"Okay he's an asshole or okay you'll have coffee with me?" asked Rick hopefully.

She smiled at him and he felt like his heart skipped a beat.

"Both," was her playful reply; Rick could not help but grin.

For months now he had lived next door to this charming woman and did not know; now he was determined to be a good and friendly neighbor to her.

"What are you doing later today?" asked Rick.

"I have some classes before lunchtime. And I have to drop my son off soon," she explained.

"You have a son too? That's great. Maybe we can all go together," Rick offered.

Michonne nodded.

"Sure. I'm free this afternoon if you are. Around three?" she asked.

"Three is perfect," Rick said with a wide smile.

He had no idea what he was doing, and it was most definitely too early in the morning to be making dates with women who were posting angry notes on his door, but Rick felt like he needed to rectify the situation. He felt as if he needed to get to know his neighbor better; he could not explain the instant connection to her that he had found.

"I'll meet you downstairs at three then?" Michonne asked.

"I'll be there," he replied and then reluctantly decided to excuse himself.

They said goodbye and Rick walked to his door; Michonne hesitated, but then called to him.

"Rick," she said.

He stopped and looked back at her.

"How about we grab a coffee and go for a walk and you can bring Bucky with us. That way he'll get some exercise and might actually sleep tonight," suggested Michonne.

Rick nodded his head.

"That's a fine idea," he replied. "And hopefully then you'll get a good night's sleep too."

They shared another smile and entered their respective homes. Michonne could hardly believe how considerate he actually was and felt bad for writing the angry notes; Rick could hardly believe she had lived so close to him all that time and he never noticed. Both continued to wear happy grins as Rick was winding down from his shift and Michonne's day was getting started; each of them eager and a little nervous about three o'clock.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so one more chapter then; a Richonne date! Who likes confident Rick? I do!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: G'day everyone! Look, I have to say, I am so pleased with the response to this fic. I love doing the cutesy AU fluffy stuff and it's always so nice when it is well received.

* * *

A cool breeze swept across the park and washed over Michonne's skin as she and walked slowly along behind André. The small boy skipped along the footpath with his football in hand; Bucky, Rick's Jack Russell, playfully tried to match André's stride as he pulled against his leash.

"He's very energetic," said Michonne as she watched her neighbor being pulled along by the small dog.

"Yes he is," replied Rick. "I hope this will tire him out though."

Michonne nodded as they came to a spot where there was some playground equipment.

"Can I go play, please?" André asked excitedly as Michonne nodded.

"Stay where I can see you and no climbing too high, Peter Parker," she said with a grin.

She took a seat on a nearby bench and Rick sat next to her.

"Peter Parker?" he asked while looking in her direction.

"Spider-Man," she answered, nodding her head.

Rick chuckled.

"Right. Got it," he smiled, thinking of how much Carl was going to like Michonne.

"So, Rick," Michonne started. "I wanted to apologize again for writing those notes."

"Don't beat yourself up about it," he replied.

"It's kind of embarrassing," she added.

"Don't feel embarrassed," said Rick earnestly. "If you didn't write those notes, I may never have gotten the chance to meet you."

"We're neighbors, I'm sure we'd have met eventually," she replied.

"Yeah but I'm glad it all happened this way, otherwise I probably wouldn't've had an excuse to get a coffee with you," he said charmingly.

His words caused Michonne to smile coyly; if he thought she looked great at her doorway in her sleepwear at in the early morning, she looked absolutely stunning now in the warm afternoon sunlight. They fell silent and Michonne noticed how his kind eyes lit up; she could not describe the feeling of contentment and comfort she felt with this man. It was uncanny how instantaneous their connection was.

"So, will your son meet us here later?" Michonne asked.

"Carl? He'll text me, but I think he'll go straight home after school," Rick explained.

"Can I ask about his mom?" said Michonne carefully.

"Sure," said Rick. "What did you wanna know?"

"Whatever you want to tell," Michonne offered.

"We were together since senior year of high school; married too young. Grew up and realized we weren't right for each other," said Rick. "What about André's daddy?"

Michonne sighed.

"Didn't work out because he was an asshole," said Michonne with a smile.

"I think asshole is your favorite word," Rick said playfully.

Michonne laughed.

"Right," she replied. "It is in frequent rotation in my vocabulary."

They chortled and fell silent once more.

"So, you're in school," said Rick. "What are you studying?"

"I'm in Law School," Michonne answered. "Final year and then I'm done, thankfully."

"That's great. You took time off when you got married and had André?" Rick asked, totally intrigued by the beautiful woman sitting next to him.

"Yeah. I was young and thought I was in love. Put my ex before my own career needs and as the years went by, he was less and less supportive of my dreams; never met me half-way when I gave him so much of my time and energy. It got to be a chore and then it all fell apart. Now, I've got my baby boy and I'm almost done with study so I'm winning at life," she said with a grin that Rick found contagious.

"Plus, you've got a decent lookin' neighbor," he flirted.

"Definitely, old Mr Nassir was probably hot back in the day," she laughed and so did Rick.

He enjoyed her sense of humor; she was not at all what he imagined the ornery note-writing neighbor would be. She was easy to talk to and Rick felt as if they were old friends.

"Yeah, he's a handsome gentleman," Rick chortled before staring into her eyes. "But not my type."

They fell into a comfortable silence yet again as Bucky sniffed about Michonne's feet.

"He likes you," said Rick, gesturing towards the dog.

"You sure about that?" asked Michonne jovially. "If he liked me he wouldn't keep me up all night."

Rick shrugged.

"Nah, he likes you. Trust me," he said, and Michonne could not help but sense the sincerity of his words.

"Okay," she conceded, reaching down to scratch behind the dog's ear. "I guess you know what he likes."

"I do," replied Rick. "He likes you and I have to say he's got good taste."

Michonne let out a chortle and smiled brightly at Rick; she went to respond when she heard André call out to her.

"Mama, can you push me?" he asked as he climbed into the swing.

"I'll be right there," she replied before looking at Rick. "Coming?"

Rick nodded his head and stood; he followed behind Bucky as he and Michonne walked side-by-side. They reached the swing set and Michonne prepared to give her son a push. She looked thoughtful and then spoke to Rick.

"If you have the time tonight, did you wanna have an early dinner with us?" she asked a little shyly.

Rick beamed at her.

"I think I can make the time for you two," he said happily.

"Great," Michonne answered enthusiastically. "Pop around at six."

…..

Michonne was just setting the table when she heard a knock at her door; she smoothed out her clothing and fixed her hair before making her way to answer it. She found a smiling Rick and a shy looking Carl waiting for her. Rick was now dressed in his uniform once more, and Michonne smiled a little to herself.

"Hey guys," she said in greeting.

"Hello, Michonne," said Rick. "This here's my son Carl."

The boy offered a crooked smile and took Michonne's extended hand.

"Nice to meet you," she said, the boy nodded.

"Nice to meet you too. And I'm sorry for writing that note. It won't happen again," he offered softly; his father taking in his expression.

"I'm sorry as well," said Michonne as she stepped aside and let them in.

Rick studied the layout of the apartment; it was the same as his and Carl's home. Michonne's furniture was much different and a large number of family photos adorned her walls. Her place felt homely; it was vibrant and definitely suited her, he thought.

"Please, have a seat," said Michonne as she gestured to the dining table. "Carl, this is my son, André."

The boys smiled and exchanged greetings as everyone got ready to eat. Michonne served up their meal of carbonara and then took a seat herself. There was a little awkward silence to begin with, but Michonne soon spoke up.

"So, Rick," she started. "What possessed you to get a dog as a pet, especially living in this building?"

Rick chortled.

"Well, you know the guy you met this morning, my partner, it was his because of him; he convinced me it'd be a good idea since I've been working odd hours. It's nice for Carl to have some company and I thought he'd be a good guard dog," Rick explained.

Michonne nodded and then turned to Carl.

"Is he a good guard dog?" she asked the boy.

Carl shrugged.

"I think so," he smiled. "No one's come by to bother us, so yeah; he's okay."

"He's cute!" said André, causing everyone to beam brightly.

"Yeah," replied Carl. "He sure is."

"I like his name," said Michonne, still talking to Carl. "Did you give it to him?"

"Yeah, I named him after Bucky Barnes," he said not expecting Michonne to know who that was.

"Really?" she said. "Original Bucky or the Winter Soldier?"

Carl sat up straighter in his seat and looked at Michonne with a surprised expression. None of the adults he knew really knew anything about comic books, so he was a little stunned that his neighbor seemingly did.

"Original Bucky, of course," Carl smiled. "You like superheroes?"

Michonne lifted her right hand, pointed to the small circular tattoo on her wrist; it was Captain America's shield, complete with the star at the centre. Carl's eyes went wide and his mouth was agape as he looked at her in astonishment.

"Is that Cap's shield?" he asked, just to make sure.

"You know it," replied Michonne as she looked at Rick and gave him a wink.

"That's so cool!" he offered. "Cap's my favorite."

"Mine too," she replied.

"I only know Batman," Rick interjected; he wanted to get in on the fun as well. "Oh, and Superman."

Carl rolled his eyes.

"My dad has no idea, really. He's such a noob," said the teenager as he and Michonne shared a chuckle at Rick's expense and the laughter and warm conversation continued until Rick had to leave to start his shift.

…..

After finishing a late patrol, Rick and Shane made their way back to the station ready to complete any necessary paperwork. Rick checked his watch and then stretched out in his swivel chair; he rolled his head from side-to-side and then stood so as to ensure the tiredness did not get to him. He made his way over to the coffee pot, poured himself a mug and then went back to his desk.

Rick took a sip of his drink and let his mind wander back to the meal he and Carl had shared with Michonne and André. He recalled feeling as if he did not want to leave; as if he wanted to stay there laughing with Michonne and listening to her and Carl talk about comic books.

Rick had not felt that relaxed in such a long time; being a single parent who is trying to provide for their child is not an easy feat. He knew that Michonne understood this as her situation was similar to his. It was a welcome relief to sit down to have a meal with another person who had an inkling of the challenges he was faced with. It was wonderful to laugh and share in the joys of parenthood with someone like Michonne, who worked just as hard as Rick did and still made time to be a mother to André.

Rick was very impressed by her and truly had enjoyed their dinner together. Absently, he smiled to himself and the action was not missed by his partner.

"What you all happy about?" asked Shane as he took a seat at his desk adjacent to Rick's.

Rick raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

"Nothin'," he said, not wanting to divulge any information to his best friend at that time.

He picked up his notepad and pen as his friend looked at him disbelievingly.

"What? I got nothin' to tell, I'm just gettin' these reports done," offered Rick as he began writing.

Shane shook his head at Rick but pressed him no further; both men settled into a comfortable silence and continued with their work.

…..

"Come on, Peanut! We're gonna be late," called Michonne as she checked that the many compartment's of André's backpack were zipped.

The small boy finished washing and drying his hands as he ran from the bathroom to find his mother.

"Ready, mom," said André with a glorious smile that made Michonne forget that she was feeling pressured by running late that morning.

"Let's go," she said in a more cheerful tone as they headed towards the door.

Michonne stopped when she noticed the neatly folded piece of paper on the floor; her brows furrowed as went to pick it up. Surely there was no more animosity between her and her neighbors after they had spent time getting to know one another; Bucky had not even kept her awake throughout the night. She unfolded the note carefully and proceeded to read it; her lips turned up into a grin when she read the first line that was written in surprisingly neat cursive.

 _Dear Pretty Lady at Number 23,_

 _I'm writing this at work because (and I hope this is OK to say) I couldn't stop thinking about you, but not in a creepy way. It's more like a 'she's a really good person' way._

 _I don't get to spend much time with other adults outside of work so it was nice being with you. Thanks again for the lovely dinner and for making my son laugh. It's very much appreciated._

 _You and André are great and I'm happy I'm getting to know you both._

 _I hope we can do it all again soon._

 _Take care,_

 _Your Neighbor at Number 25._

 _P.S. I hope Bucky behaved and you got a good night's sleep._

 _P.P.S. I hope it's OK to call you Pretty Lady because I'm not actually sure how to spell your name plus you're really, really pretty._

André was already out the door by the time a smiling Michonne folded the note and placed it in her purse. She felt a fluttering in her stomach when she realized Rick Grimes was the type of guy she thought he was: good, kind, considerate, gracious, romantic, and a total sweetheart. She was very much looking forward to getting to know him better.

* * *

A/N: I've got plans for one more chapter after this. Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hi all. This is going to be the final chapter of this fic. Thanks so much to those who took the time to read, favourite, follow and review. I appreciate it greatly. Let me know how you liked it! Enjoy!

* * *

The bedroom door creaked slightly as Michonne pulled it closed far enough so that it was still ajar, but most of the light from the living room was not spilling into the room and causing her son to awaken. She picked up the toys that were scattered randomly across the floor and tossed them into the small box that leaned against the wall. She grabbed her backpack, retrieved her textbooks and placed them down on the coffee table next to her laptop as she settled in to get some study done. Just as she positioned her pen between her teeth, out of habit, she heard a faint tapping at her front door. Instinctively she checked the time and then proceeded to answer the door; she was met by a smiling Rick Grimes.

"Hey," he said softly, knowing that it was past nine o'clock and that her young son was most likely in bed. "Sorry to bother you at this time of night."

"It's fine," Michonne replied with a smile of her own. "I was just getting started on some homework. Come on in. Is everything okay?"

Rick stepped inside her home and shifted his weight from his left foot to his right one.

"Yeah, everything's fine," he answered.

"Please, have a seat," Michonne offered as Rick sat on the sofa next to her.

He smiled at her once again and felt a fluttering in his stomach when she returned the gesture with a bright beam.

"Can I get you a coffee or anything?" she asked cordially.

"No, thank you. I wanted to drop by and thank you for everything you've done for Carl these past couple of weeks," he started. "I won't be workin' these crazy hours for much longer, but I do appreciate everything you've done."

"It's okay. I don't mind, Rick. He's a really great kid," said Michonne.

"I don't wanna put you out or anything like that," Rick said. "Feedin' him and helpin' with his homework? That's more than I could ask for."

"It's fine, really. We've loved havin' him here," she smiled.

"How can I repay you?" asked Rick with a charming grin.

"Well," said Michonne playfully. "I have this five thousand word paper due, so if you could take care of it I'd say we were even."

Both chortled and Rick got lost a moment in the sweet sound of her giggles.

"Oh, no. I ain't that smart," he said. "But maybe I could take you out on the weekend? Dinner or a movie or somethin' like that, as a thank you."

Michonne felt butterflies and could not hold back her bright smile.

"I'd like that," she replied.

"How does Saturday night sound? Just the two of us. Your choice, my treat?" asked a relieved Rick.

"Sounds great," she replied in earnest.

"Well, all right then," said Rick happily. "You give it some thought about what you want to do and let me know."

He stood and she did soon after.

"Okay," Michonne said as she walked Rick to the door. "I'll be in touch."

…..

"This was a great idea, Rick," Michonne offered as she whispered close to his ear; they rocked steadily to the soft music that was playing in the restaurant. "Do you know how long it's been since I've been out dancing?"

"Probably longer than me, but you're still a better dancer," he said, gently rubbing his thumb over her hand that was clasped in his as they twirled around the dimly lit floor once more. "And I agree, it's been fun and I've had a really nice time."

Michonne giggled and breathed in Rick's scent before pressing her swaying body ever closer to his.

"You think we've danced off dinner yet?" she asked. "You know, to make room for ice cream?"

Rick chortled.

"Yeah," he replied. "I think so, but I'm enjoying bein' this close to you, so you think we can stay a little while longer?"

She felt her heart rate speed up.

"Sure," Michonne replied. "Just a little while."

…..

"So," said Rick as he hooked his thumb into his belt.

"So," Michonne replied as she fumbled in her purse for her keys, trying to extend the moment a little longer.

"I had a great time," he said softly, aware that the walls were thin.

"Me too," Michonne replied, still searching for her keys.

"You know I think you're lovely," he offered, stepping closer to Michonne; she smiled a little coyly now and ceased her search. "And I wanted to know, before we finish up and go back to bein' parents, if it was okay for me to kiss you goodnight?"

Michonne looked into Rick's eyes and smiled wider.

"Yes," she said in hushed tones. "If you want to."

Rick inched closer still and cupped her face with his hand.

"Believe me," he whispered as he searched her deep brown eyes. "I've wanted to all night."

He then pressed his lips to hers gently; as they relished in the sensation, they deepened the kiss and found themselves in the other's embrace. Rick's and fell to Michonne's waist as she took a moment to thread her fingers through his lush curls. They were so enraptured in the slow, sensual kiss that they did not notice that the barking of his dog was coming from Michonne's apartment; the door swung open and startled the pair. Luckily their sons were trying to wrangle the small Jack Russell and did not see the private moment between the adults.

"Hey," said Rick, his hand still resting at Michonne's waist.

"Oh, hey," said Carl. "He must've heard you at the door."

The dog circled excitedly at Michonne's feet.

"He really likes you," Carl added.

"Yeah, I think so," she replied as she tried to step away from the hyperactive dog. "Rick, did you want to come in for some coffee?"

"Raincheck? Better get Bucky home and try to settle him down. Don't want him keepin' y'all up all night," he said thoughtfully as Michonne gave him a grateful grin; her head still spinning from their kiss.

"Okay. Thanks Carl," said Michonne. "Say goodnight, Peanut."

André bid Carl and Rick goodnight before retreating into the apartment before Rick sent Carl and Bucky home to their apartment. Rick and Michonne stared at one another and chuckled.

"Well, I better get André into bed," she offered as Rick nodded. "Thanks for everything. I had a lovely time. Goodnight."

He closed the small distance between them once more and gave her another soft kiss.

"Me too," said Rick, kissing her lips again. "Goodnight."

* * *

 _Three years later_

The warm sun shone down on the small group of people gathered in the backyard of the three bedroom home that Rick and Michonne owned in his home town of King County. A few rows of white, wooden chairs faced an altar that was decorated with peach tree blossoms and white roses on a backdrop of white lace; every seat was taken by people wearing smiling faces and fancy attire. Rick, Shane, Carl and André stood up the front and were dressed in matching tuxedos with peach blossoms pinned to their lapels.

The sweet scents of springtime filled the air and assisted in calming Rick's nerves; he wiped his sweating palms discreetly against his pant legs and lifted his head when the musicians situated to the left side of the altar began to play Pachelbel's Canon. Feeling himself overcome with emotions, Rick looked up the aisle and saw Michonne with her arm linked to her father's.

She wore a strapless, floor-length wedding gown and a simple diamond necklace; her hair was up in a chignon and she had a few white rose buds and peach blossoms pinned to it. She gave a warm smile to André and then Carl, before beaming happily at Rick. Finally, on shaky legs, she came to stand before Rick as she handed her bouquet off to her sister Shiri; her father kissed her softly on the cheek, gave her soon-to-be husband a nod and then stepped away. As the music stopped, Rick and Michonne took hold of one another's hands. She chuckled when she felt how sweaty his were; reassuringly, she gave his hand a quick squeeze and stared into his eyes.

The ceremony was flying by as the words rushing around Rick seemed to be drowned out by the sound of his heart beating loudly in his chest. He could scarcely believe that he was standing at the altar with Michonne; that he had gotten a second chance at love and that he was happier than he had ever been. He was busy staring at Michonne's eyes when she turned her head to face the preacher, he realized that the next part of the proceedings needed his attention to be on the man who was presiding over them.

"Rick and Michonne wanted to write their own vows, and they wanted to do it in a special way," Father Gabriel explained. "As I am sure most of you are aware, when they first met, it was because they were neighbors who were having a little disagreement. Michonne, as we know, is a tenacious individual who always strives to get her point across; ever the diligent lawyer. Rick's dog Bucky, who's seated in the front row there, was keeping Michonne up at night. So she wrote an angry letter and posted on her neighbor Rick's door. That's when these two met each other, got to know one another and it all led us here today. So in that same spirit, they would like to share their vows in the form of a quick letter. This time around, I would have to say there will be much kinder words."

The crowd laughed happily and Rick reached in his pocket for his piece of paper; he looked to their loved ones and bit his bottom lip.

"I ain't really good at public speakin'," he offered nervously. "But Michonne knows I'll do anything for her, so here goes:

Dear Michonne, my heart and soul,

I never ever thought that I could be anymore happy than I was, then you and André came along and proved that it was possible. I thank my lucky stars every single day that we found each other. That we were able to find love again and bring our families together. I cannot wait to find out where this journey is going to take us, and I know that with you by my side, I can face anything. You're my strength, Michonne. When you look at me with that love and belief in your eyes, I feel I can do anything. I love you and I thank you for choosing me. I promise to spend every day of the rest of my life being someone you can put your faith in."

Rick looked up from the piece of paper and saw the tears welling in her beautiful brown eyes as she smiled at him so brightly and gave his hand another squeeze. She took a deep breath and began to recite her vows.

"Dear Rick, my love,

Everyone knows I am a letter writer so this should have come easy for me, but it didn't; and not because I can't find the words, but because I have so much to say. But I will keep it short because otherwise we'll be here all day. Thank you so much for everything you have done for me and André; for bringing Carl into our lives. For all of the late nights and early mornings when I needed someone to tell me that I could get through the tough times. For having the ability to make me laugh and smile. For being just who you are, a kind, strong and loving father and wonderful man. I still can't believe we lived next door to one another for months and our paths never crossed until I decided to write you an angry letter. It's funny how things turn out and I am so grateful every single day since that we were placed in each other's lives. I look at you and I see hope; I see our future. I promise to be by your side always. I love you."

The tears of overwhelming joy fell from Rick's eyes as Father Gabriel had them exchange their rings; when Rick's lips finally found Michonne's and the cheers from their friends and family wafted through the air, they both felt an indescribable sense of euphoria as their hearts that beat in unison swelled with so much love.

* * *

 _Thirty five years later_

"Mama!" called Serenity Grimes as she pulled another shoebox down from the cupboard in her parents room.

"Hold on," said Michonne as she stepped out of the adjoining bathroom. "What is it now?"

"Another shoebox. I swear you and Daddy are hoarders," the young woman said. "Are you sure there's one here somewhere?"

"Yes," Michonne replied. "Rick keeps all of the family photos in these boxes."

"Well, his birthday is four days away and I wanna make sure we get the ones of you, him, Carl and Dre with Bucky. He loved that dog so much," the younger woman stated as she sat on the bed and opened one of the boxes that contained keepsakes Rick had not gotten rid of over the years.

She smiled and passed the photos over to her mother who looked at them happily.

"We had some good times," Michonne reminisced as she looked at the photos that contained many of their family's memories in them; her daughter lifted her head from her search and smiled at her mother before digging through another pile of photographs.

"Is that him?" Serenity asked as she pointed to a picture of Carl and André and their Jack Russell, Bucky.

Michonne's eyes glazed over as she smiled at the photograph, "Yeah. That's him. You know, if it wasn't for this dog I may not have even met your father. Well, I might've met him, but we probably wouldn't have had anything too interesting to talk about."

Nodding her head, Serenity grinned at Michonne.

"I know," she replied. "That was the bedtime story Daddy told me right up until I was fourteen years old."

Both women laughed and then Serenity reached into the box once more and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper; she gently unfolded it and began to read. She let out an amused chuckle before asking, "Mama, what in the world is this? Is this what I think it is?"

Michonne looked up from the picture and regarded at her daughter questioningly.

"I don't know," she offered, "What does it say?"

Serenity began to read:

 _Dear Asshole at No. 25,_

 _The only dick around here is you! Please make sure your dog doesn't keep the rest of us awake tonight. As you can tell, I am a letter writer and I will make a formal complaint about you, the Master of assholes, and your asshole dog._

 _Regards,_

 _No. 23._


End file.
